I love you. You are a wonderful addition to my life. How much I have changed and grown because of you.

When you grow up and leave my house, your father and I will be just fine.

WHAT?!

Yes, I just said that. Your father and will be just fine. In fact, we will be happy to see you go out and be in the world, no longer dependent on us as parents. We will enjoy our home, our freedom, our financial independence. Yep, we are going to have a party.

The thing is, I loved having you, teaching you, being your mother. But your father and I were sweethearts long before you were ever born and we will be the ones who stay together in this house, this relationship. Our love will never change.

My love for you will always be strong but our relationship will change. You won’t need me. You will leave me. You will start your own life and do what you want to do.

Daddy and I will stay, remain here and continue to enjoy each other’s company.

So you see, when we go out and don’t take you, when you think I take his side over you, when you feel like he is more important to me than you are, you are right. That is how it is. He is my first and last. You are the wonderful, amazing middle.

My advice to my beautiful little girls is, when you find a man, and you are thinking about marrying him, ask yourself, “Is he enough? If there are never children between us, will he be all I need? When I need someone to trust with my secrets, will he be the first one I want to tell? When we move from one location to another seeking jobs and lifestyles, and I have to leave my friends, will he be enough? When family dies or friends desert me, will he be my first and last?” If the answer to these questions is “YES!” MARRY HIM, because you will be fine too.